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News > Finland

Finnish Paliament's Defense Committee Supports NATO Membership

  • Flags of the NATO (L) and Finland (R).

    Flags of the NATO (L) and Finland (R). | Photo: Twitter/ @sentdefender

Published 10 May 2022
Opinion

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto announced he will make his position known this Thursday "at the latest". Prime Minister Sanna Marin intends to do the same before Saturday.

On Tuesday, Parliament's Defense Committee expressed a favorable opinion for Finland's entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), considering that it is "the best solution for the security" of the country.

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"Although the performance of the Armed Forces is good and the defense has been developing resolutely for decades, Finland, as a small country, cannot by itself create a deterrent effect that guarantees the preservation of peace," the Commission said in its opinion.

"Finland maintains extensive bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation with other countries, but this international collaboration does not include security guarantees, and it is also unclear what kind of help Finland would receive from its partners in a crisis situation," it added.

On the other hand, membership in NATO would "significantly increase" the deterrent effect against possible military aggression by Russia, thanks to the Alliance's mutual assistance clause.

"The solid Finnish defense... is no longer enough in the current situation and in the face of Russian action... Finland will join NATO to maximize its own security and to defend its own territory, it is not something that is directed against nobody," said Petteri Orpo, Defense Commission spokesperson and leader of the conservative Kokoomus party.

"The solid Finnish defense... is no longer enough in the current situation and in the face of Russian action... Finland will join NATO to maximize its own security and to defend its own territory, it is not something that is directed against nobody," said Petteri Orpo, Defense Commission spokesperson and leader of the conservative Kokoomus party.

Currently, Finland is a partner of the Alliance but not a formal member. Most likely, this Nordic country will ask for its accession to NATO, which would imply abandoning almost eight decades of non-alignment. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto announced he will make his position known this Thursday "at the latest".

Prime Minister Sanna Marin intends to do the same before Saturday, when her Social Democratic Party will decide on a position. Meanwhile, support for NATO membership continues to reach 76 percent of citizens, according to a survey published by television YLE on Monday.

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